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John Conley: Don't blame the bags for the litter

As one of “those baby boomers,” I have recently found myself and my wife firmly reliant on the trust fund (Social Security) we invested in for all of our working lives. I am dismayed by the changes of understanding of many well-intended groups. Usually, these happen without malice but often smothers “real life” experience with idealism.

Related to your comments on the agenda of eliminating plastic bags from stores, I must point out that many of us on small fixed incomes will be impacted by such a decision. We responsibly use those “horrible bags” for not only transporting our purchases, but also for garbage and trash accumulation and disposal. Elimination of these free bags would require that we purchase commercial equivalents. Just the additional cost to us of this one change would be greater than our entire COLA increase this year.

Just as guns do not kill (people do), plastic bags do not create litter – people do.

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